“You take a child who’s completely helpless. They have no way to defend themselves. And someone does something of this nature to them, you have literally destroyed that child for the rest of their life,“ says Hurst.

“If it’s an urge they can’t control… the castration certainly would take care of that problem and protect neighborhoods, communities and future victims,“ says Jefferson County Mike Hale, who supports the idea, which is now officially House Bill 252.

Hale says his deputies re-arrest at least 30% of the child molesters who are parolled.

“I think they would see this as a threat - from even committing one crime to start with. If the word got out that Alabama would castrate you if you molested a child, that would send a pretty strong message,“ says Hale.